Domestic appliances, such as a dishwasher, a washing machine, a refrigerator, or similar, have a door, a cover, a flap, or similar, to allow loading or unloading to take place. For locking purposes, the door, the cover, the flap or similar operates in combination with a lock.
Document EP 0 728 438 B1 shows a locking device for a dishwasher, a cutout with a bridging piece arranged within it being provided in the upper edge of the dishwasher door. In the locking position, a downward pointing cantilever element arranged in the dishwasher casing engages in the cutout. The cantilever element has an opening underneath from which a peg element projects. In the locking position, the forward end of said peg element rests on the bridging piece in the cutout. When the door is moved into the locking position the peg is raised, thereby activating a microswitch.
A lock of this kind for the movable closing element on the domestic appliance, such as for the door, the cover, the flap or similar, can be attached to the body of the domestic appliance. The lock has a closing hook which in turn can be made to engage with the closing element when being closed and/or be made to disengage therefrom when being opened. A disadvantage of such a lock is the strong closing pressure needed to lock the closing element.